Total population (thousands) in Barbados
Barbados: Total population (thousands) was 282.56 thousands in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
282.56 thousands
Change on year
up 0.1%
World rank
184th
of 233 countries
All-time high
282.56 thousands
in 2025
All-time low
249.1 thousands
in 1971
Years of data
56
1970–2025
Total population in Barbados, 1970–2025
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in thousands.
Analysis
Barbados recorded 282.56 thousands for total population in 2025. That is the highest value across all 56 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.1% on the previous year and up 1.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, total population in Barbados peaked at 282.56 thousands in 2025 and was at its lowest, 249.1 thousands, in 1971.
Barbados ranks 184th of 233 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 56 years of available data.
Total population (thousands) in Barbados, year by year
| Year | thousands | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 249.67 thousands | — |
| 1971 | 249.1 thousands | -0.2% |
| 1972 | 249.24 thousands | +0.1% |
| 1973 | 250.08 thousands | +0.3% |
| 1974 | 250.56 thousands | +0.2% |
| 1975 | 250.99 thousands | +0.2% |
| 1976 | 251.36 thousands | +0.1% |
| 1977 | 251.52 thousands | +0.1% |
| 1978 | 251.73 thousands | +0.1% |
| 1979 | 251.37 thousands | -0.1% |
| 1980 | 251.16 thousands | -0.1% |
| 1981 | 251.88 thousands | +0.3% |
| 1982 | 252.66 thousands | +0.3% |
| 1983 | 253.53 thousands | +0.3% |
| 1984 | 254.45 thousands | +0.4% |
| 1985 | 255.39 thousands | +0.4% |
| 1986 | 256.25 thousands | +0.3% |
| 1987 | 256.99 thousands | +0.3% |
| 1988 | 257.57 thousands | +0.2% |
| 1989 | 257.95 thousands | +0.1% |
| 1990 | 258.26 thousands | +0.1% |
| 1991 | 258.9 thousands | +0.2% |
| 1992 | 259.85 thousands | +0.4% |
| 1993 | 260.69 thousands | +0.3% |
| 1994 | 261.37 thousands | +0.3% |
| 1995 | 261.87 thousands | +0.2% |
| 1996 | 262.21 thousands | +0.1% |
| 1997 | 262.36 thousands | +0.1% |
| 1998 | 262.42 thousands | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 262.45 thousands | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 262.58 thousands | +0.1% |
| 2001 | 261.54 thousands | -0.4% |
| 2002 | 263.31 thousands | +0.7% |
| 2003 | 264.99 thousands | +0.6% |
| 2004 | 266.57 thousands | +0.6% |
| 2005 | 268.03 thousands | +0.5% |
| 2006 | 269.38 thousands | +0.5% |
| 2007 | 270.62 thousands | +0.5% |
| 2008 | 271.96 thousands | +0.5% |
| 2009 | 273.47 thousands | +0.6% |
| 2010 | 274.77 thousands | +0.5% |
| 2011 | 275.71 thousands | +0.3% |
| 2012 | 276.56 thousands | +0.3% |
| 2013 | 277.31 thousands | +0.3% |
| 2014 | 278.02 thousands | +0.3% |
| 2015 | 278.68 thousands | +0.2% |
| 2016 | 279.3 thousands | +0.2% |
| 2017 | 279.89 thousands | +0.2% |
| 2018 | 280.45 thousands | +0.2% |
| 2019 | 280.97 thousands | +0.2% |
| 2020 | 281.44 thousands | +0.2% |
| 2021 | 281.95 thousands | +0.2% |
| 2022 | 282.34 thousands | +0.1% |
| 2023 | 282.3 thousands | -0.0% |
| 2024 | 282.38 thousands | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 282.56 thousands | +0.1% |
Barbados compared with similar countries
- Barbados's 282.56 thousands is below the median for high income countries, which is 3,084 thousands, 9% of the median. (85 countries reporting)
- Barbados's 282.56 thousands is below the median for Latin America & Caribbean, which is 3,039 thousands, 9% of the median. (42 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 250.56 thousands | 249.1 thousands | 251.73 thousands | 10 |
| 1980s | 254.78 thousands | 251.16 thousands | 257.95 thousands | 10 |
| 1990s | 261.04 thousands | 258.26 thousands | 262.45 thousands | 10 |
| 2000s | 267.25 thousands | 261.54 thousands | 273.47 thousands | 10 |
| 2010s | 278.17 thousands | 274.77 thousands | 280.97 thousands | 10 |
| 2020s | 282.16 thousands | 281.44 thousands | 282.56 thousands | 6 |
Countries ranked near Barbados
- 181 Vanuatu 331.47 thousands compare
- 182 French Guiana 311.08 thousands compare
- 183 New Caledonia 294.01 thousands compare
- 185 French Polynesia 282.15 thousands compare
- 186 Sao Tome and Principe 237.89 thousands compare
- 187 Samoa 218.7 thousands compare
More population data for Barbados
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.7043 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -4.04 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.7043 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.6177 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 267.79 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population -0.0106 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.9003 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth -0.7% (2100)
- Population density 452.82 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 8,035 people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is total population in Barbados?
- Total population in Barbados was 282.56 thousands in 2025, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest total population recorded in Barbados?
- The highest recorded value was 282.56 thousands in 2025.
- What is the lowest total population recorded in Barbados?
- The lowest recorded value was 249.1 thousands in 1971.
- How does Barbados rank for total population?
- Barbados ranks 184th out of 233 countries with data for 2025.
- Is total population rising or falling in Barbados?
- Over the last ten years it is up 1.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Barbados data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Total population (thousands). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 56 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release